With rapidly changing attitudes to animal products, is there still a place for car leather in the future? Paul Higgins, Contechs Interior & Exterior Director, discusses this topic:
The world of automotive interiors is changing rapidly, but one subject that often gets overlooked is soft trim and wrapped interiors – which are going through a quiet revolution of their own.
More than 5% of people born since the turn of the century are vegan, so the desire for plant-based products is increasing exponentially. Most household names now offer an alternative trim walk; a high-end interior free of animal products.
Automotive engineers, materials specialists, and materials scientists, such as those at Contechs, are now helping to develop solutions that use new innovative materials for soft trim applications. Our experts are constantly adapting to and validating the behaviours of these materials in terms of lamination techniques and environmental cycling.
Contechs has not replaced leather completely however, as OEM research shows there is still a demand for real leather. But drivers can now be confident that the leather industry has shifted sustainability to the forefront. In the US today, it is reported that no cows are killed to make leather; hides are considered a by-product of the meat industry, so in fact millions of tonnes of potential waste is diverted from landfill.
While forward-thinkers in the automotive industry need to continue to innovate new soft trim options, it seems the lure of leather is here to stay.
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